Tucker 10?? Identify this Tucker

[noguice]

Hey, this is a Tucker I saw at a car show in Colorado Springs when I was little. The note on the back of one of the pictures says 1990.

I've looked at the photos on the "See a Tucker" page, but couldn't figure out which one it is, as this one has a green interior and exterior, and none of the green ones on that page looked like they matched. but again, this is 16 years ago.

Can anyone tell me which Tucker this is?

Thanks
Nathan

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/noguice/a ... EBH39P3SH6

[plancor 792]

It is Tucker Serial Number 1005 that belonged to an owner in Texas at that time.
There are certain identifying marks on a Tucker that you should make an effort to photograph that would help in identifying serial number of the car.
Take a photo of the hub cap, also the drivers side front fender and the side view mirrors. I have determined this is 1005 mainly because of the upholstery. Could not see the hub caps, good view of the mirrors or if the car had a fuel filler in the left front fender.
Also get photos of the engine compartment as owners have different air cleaners and at times different colors on oil filler cap, etc.

Richard

[maineman]

I think some folks forget how the enginering was changing as the 50 were produced, when I saw 1001,1022,1026 the diferences on each car were dramtic, when you stoped, and looked close. different wheelbase length, suspention set up, trans. brakes, hub caps, the list goes on. I think If we lined up all remaining tuckers just a few would pair up as the same in every way. I wonder if Preston would have kept these 50"prototypes" and only shipped out the final design to dealers?

[plancor 792]

YES, I THINK EVERY TUCKER HAD AT LEAST ONE OR MORE SLIGHT DIFFERENCE FROM THE CAR BEFORE IT. THESE CARS WERE ORIGINALLY TO BE WORK HORSES AND NOT RELEASED OR SOLD TO THE DEALERS OR THE PUBLIC. SOME OF THOSE CHANGES WERE WHEELBASE, INCREASED FROM 128 INCHES TO 130 INCHES. THE FIRST 25 CARS HAD THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE REAR SEAT WITH THE FUEL FILLER IN THE LEFT REAR FENDER GRILL AND CARS 1026 THROUGH 1050 HAD IT UNDER THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT WITH THE FUEL FILLER IN THE LEFT FRONT FENDER. THE FIRST 25 CARS HAD SLOTTED HUB CAPS FOR THE PROPOSED DISC BRAKES AND THE SECOND GROUP HAD SOLID HUB CAPS. WIRING CHANGES WERE MADE AT 1026 AS WAS THE CONTROL OF THE CENTER HEADLIGHT. TUCKER 1023 HAD REGULAR INSIDE DOOR HANDLES NOT THE JEEP OR KAISER PUSH BUTTON AS USED ON MOST OTHER CARS.THERE WERE CHANGES IN THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION. FROM 1026 UP THE REAR UNITS WERE CONSIDERABLY BIGGER THAN THOSE ON THE FIRST 25 CARS. THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS ALSO CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT SETUP STARTING WITH SERIAL NUMBER 1026. 1026 ALSO HAD COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES FROM ALL OTHER CARS. SOME CARS HAD ASH TRAYS WHILE OTHERS DID NOT HAVE THEM.

AN INTERESTING NOTE I MIGHT ADD WAS WHILE WE WERE FILMING THE MOVIE IN RICHMOND, CA EACH OF THOSE EARLY DAYS PASSPORT VAN LINES WAS ARRIVING WITH ONE OR MORE TUCKER'S. THE PEOPLE FOR LUCAS WERE TAKING PHOTOS OF EACH CAR AS IT WAS UNLOADED.
GREAT HUH? NOPE. WHAT THEY HAD DONE WAS TAKE THESE PHOTOS IN BLACK AND WHITE AND IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL EXACTLY WHICH TUCKER WAS IN THE PHOTO. IT FELL ON RUSS BROWNELL AND MYSELF TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THE VEHICLES FROM THE PHOTOS. WE FEEL IN THE LONG RUN WE GOT MOST OF THEM RIGHT, HOWEVER I AM SURE THERE WERE A FEW THAT WE NEVER WERE ABLE TO PIN DOWN TO THE EXACT SERIAL NUMBER.

RICHARD

[Tuckerfan1053]

I think some folks forget how the enginering was changing as the 50 were produced, when I saw 1001,1022,1026 the diferences on each car were dramtic, when you stoped, and looked close. different wheelbase length, suspention set up, trans. brakes, hub caps, the list goes on. I think If we lined up all remaining tuckers just a few would pair up as the same in every way. I wonder if Preston would have kept these 50"prototypes" and only shipped out the final design to dealers?

That's not at all uncommon in the auto industry. Modern American car companies generally build 100 "pilot cars" (the Japanese build 300) to test various aspects of design, crash worthiness, etc. I've no idea of how many pilot cars were standard back in the '40s, but it would be interesting to find out.

Odds are, that if Tucker had managed to get into production, he would have only saved one or two of the pilot cars, the rest basically being destroyed during testing. Given that the cars were hastily built, with whatever parts could be found at hand, and that many of them were neglected in the years after the company folded, it's a testament to the men who designed and built the cars that so many have survived to this day.

[noguice]

So, I guess restoring a Tucker really is quite a task when you don't really have a measure of comparison.